A Beginner's Guide to 'E-Learning'

What is it?

We hear the term ‘E-Learning’ mentioned in many conversations but not many of us know what it is, the benefits of it, current trends and future possibilities. To put it simply, E-Learning is the use of electronic media to assist in the learning process, usually in the delivery of a course completed online or on the system. This idea was met with some cynicism but eventually it caught on and now almost every school and business use some form of E-Learning to help develop and train people. It was designed to make learning more engaging and to move with the times as the possession of mobiles, laptops and tablets became common. It’s very much still about interaction, however, which is important to maintain the same atmosphere.

Why use it?

There are many benefits of E-Learning, the first one being that you learn when you have the time and at your own pace. There generally tend to be deadlines but they only help you improve self-discipline, time management and organisation. You can learn without being in the classroom environment which means that the course is accessible to a greater amount of people. eLearningNC  claim that studies have shown that students retain a greater amount of information through ‘E-Learning’ as opposed to instructor-led classes. It’s also very cost effective as a result of all this and staff/students feel happier taking part in something that isn’t typically mundane. Being an electronic system, it is also easy to track progress.  

Current trends

elearningindustry.com published an article that looks at the current trends for 2018. What seems to be a big part of the new training is the use of VR and AR within E-Learning which makes for more exciting training. These kind of developments are using equipment like headsets that are becoming more and more commercially available and cheaper to buy in bulk for organisations and institutions. Another one is the use of intelligent assistants (AI) like iOS’s ‘Siri’ who help aid you along the process and understanding. Gamification is also a significant aspect of the increase in E-Learning. Courses are far better when there are elements of gaming are incorporated within them as there is a reward system and a visual reminder of progress. Workplace enablement is also a massive trend for 2018 as companies want all employees to be at a certain standard in order to have a strong workforce with the capability needed.     

Totem’s involvement

But what does Totem have to do with this? We are a company that makes Serious Games using VR and AR which means we fall into the E-Learning industry. We are constantly working with clients all around the world to develop games that will help with learning either soft or hard skills and it’s been proven to be a success! We are keen to deliver an immersive experience that is both interesting and fun. We combine psychology, technology and game theory to make the perfect solution, which can be bespoke should you wish. We offer several online training courses which are all about getting people to fill their potential and progress. As it’s a field very much concerned with the development of technology, we are also having to think outside the box when it comes to using the technology available. Many of the trends for 2018 are used by us too as we want to make sure we are up-to-date on all the things we can do to make E-Learning worthwhile.